VFMC Named First Military College to Join Carnegie Mellon’s Learnvia Learning Collaborative

Partnership brings AI-powered courseware and Carnegie Mellon’s learning science research to VFMC cadets, positioning the College at the forefront of AI-enabled military education

Valley Forge Military College (VFMC) announced that it will become the first military college in the nation to join Learnvia, the nonprofit learning collaborative launched by Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) with support from the Gates Foundation. 

The partnership brings AI-enabled courseware and decades of Carnegie Mellon’s learning science research directly into the classroom for VFMC cadets — and marks the launch point for what CMU expects will grow into a nationwide expansion to additional military colleges over the coming year.

“Our mission is to equip young leaders with the character, discipline, and intellectual fortitude necessary for an increasingly intricate global landscape,” said  Col. Stuart B. Helgeson, USMC (Ret), Valley Forge Military College President. 

“This partnership with Carnegie Mellon’s Learnvia initiative provides our cadets and faculty with access to premier learning science and AI-enhanced resources. Our collaboration underscores a mutual dedication to cultivating future officers possessing the technical acumen, analytical capacity, and persistence required for national service.”

Learnvia integrates lessons, interactive learning activities, homework, assessments, discussion forums, and an AI tutor into a single learning environment, built specifically to strengthen outcomes in gateway math courses — traditionally one of the toughest hurdles for students nationwide. Nationally, gateway courses derail progress for roughly 30% of college learners, and introductory mathematics is widely cited as the single greatest barrier to student success in higher education.

“America’s competitive advantage depends on preparing the people who will lead,” said CMU President Farnam Jahanian. “By expanding Learnvia to military colleges, we’re extending Carnegie Mellon’s expertise in learning science and artificial intelligence to help educate the next generation of military leaders. Just as importantly, we’re welcoming military colleges into a broader learning collaborative where educators, researchers, and institutions work together to continually improve teaching, courseware, and student success.”

For VFMC cadets, that means:

• AI-powered support in Calculus I, VFMC’s initial focus course under the partnership, with expansion planned to Quantitative Reasoning, Pre-Calculus, Calculus II, and Calculus III over the next three years
• Real-time, personalized feedback through an AI tutor trained specifically on course content, helping cadets work through difficult material and walk into class better prepared
• Instructor-led, technology-amplified teaching — Learnvia is designed to complement VFMC faculty, not replace them, preserving the mentorship and small-class relationships that define a VFMC education
• Access to a national research network of 41 partner colleges and universities today, growing toward more than 100 by fall 2026, giving VFMC faculty a seat at the table as courseware and teaching practice continue to improve,